1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to apparatus for harvesting fruit, nuts, or the like, and more particularly, to apparatus which may be used with a conventional farm tractor or a self-propelled shaker to provide a highly portable apparatus for movement from tree to tree for catching the fruit or nuts as they fall from a shaken tree and delivering the fruit or nuts to a suitable container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art fruit and nut harvesters are dedicated type machines which as a unit combine a power-driven vehicle, a shaker unit and a unit to catch and hold the fruit or nuts received from a tree. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,455 discloses a dedicated unit comprising a power unit, a shaker unit mounted to said power unit, a sheet placed in the general area of the fruit tree, conveyor means to transport the fallen fruit to a collection bin after receipt of same from the sheet. Also disclosed are a plurality of longitudinal members stacked in staggered relationship on the conveyor means to guide the fruit into the conveyor means after receiving the fruit directly from the tree or from the sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,801 discloses an elongated inclined boom including a conveyor adapted to be carried by a tractor unit at its upper end with the other end reaching to the tree, a vibrator tree shaker mounted on the boom and a folding fruit catching canopy is also mounted on the boom.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,582 discloses a retractable, inverted umbrella-like drape to catch the falling fruit, a resilient gasket which is pivotable to a surrounding position with respect to the trunk of the tree, a tree shaking device, a conveyor mechanism which carries the fallen fruit to a storage box and a dedicated vehicle to which the previous elements are operatively mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,609 discloses a self-propelled steerable vehicle having a long frame with a central open slot for receipt of the trunk of the tree as the vehicle is moved forwardly with respect to the tree, two separate tree shakers, two rectangular-shaped canvas catchers to receive fallen fruit, multiple foam-rubber louvers positioned between the edges of the catchers and a conveyor device which transports the fallen fruit to a storage bin.
The present invention as claimed is intended to provide a solution to various prior art deficiencies which include a high cost, dedicated power unit which cannot be easily or readily used for other functions. Many prior art devices also damage and/or bruise the fruit when the fruit falls onto various parts of the harvester. Also, many of the prior art devices are very complicated and complex with a great many elements and parts which results in low reliability and a high cost of maintenance. Many prior art devices are not easily and readily transportable from tree-to-tree. In addition, many prior art devices are limited in the diameter of the catching device which they can support.